It is on the Côte d’Azur that two emblematic jazz festivals were born in the middle of the 20th century. First in Nice, where the first jazz festival in the world took place in 1948, then a few kilometers away, in Antibes-Juan-les-Pins, which has become the oldest in Europe in terms of editions and which is celebrating its 61st event this year. And since the first notes of music played on the Riviera coast, hundreds of icons have passed on these stages, such as Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, or Dizzy Gillespie and Chuck Berry.
Several generations later, these illustrious summer meetings have evolved and made room for other artists, sometimes who seem far from their roots. And yet!
Preserving the “foundations” with “modernity”
“When we put together the program, we want to talk to everyone,” says Philippe Baute, general manager of the Jazz à Juan festival for twenty-two years. This year, we have international artists, funk, groove. We also have John Legend. He is a young heir to all crooners. We then always propose a link with jazz even if we do “paris” evenings. To image, it’s as if we had to redo a historical monument: we preserve above all the foundations but we allow ourselves modernity. We must remain in continuity without creating a fashion effect. Our role and duty is to contribute to the future of jazz with our festivals. So that what was created in 1960 is the beginning of an endless story”.
He adds with a smile: “We want to bring our touch to the sustainability of this living cultural heritage that is jazz. And like all music, this style has evolved. According to him, the “big stars” of today have, “through their background and their musical CV”, been nurtured and educated by “original jazz”, whatever the register played.
And for young people?
To attract a “wider” but also “younger” audience, the general management of the Juan-les-Pins festival is betting on an appropriate pricing policy. “It’s like talking about a museum or an opera, these are big words for some. We decided to offer 1/3 of the seats at half price so that it would be accessible to students. That is to say that some people were able to see Sting for 25 euros. »
At the same time, for two years now, the Antibes-Juan-les-Pins Tourist Office has been participating in the emergence of jazz in the city by offering an off-site festival, the Jammin’Summer Session. Nearly 70 musicians perform during 20 free concerts on the two stages of the small pine forest of Juan and the National Square in Antibes. “To continue on my example, there are never as many people in a museum as during heritage days. The best promotion of this sharing and popular music is to offer it in the street. »
And according to Philippe Baute, the “most recognized artists” are those “who mark the history of jazz” on stage when they take over the place.
It is not Sébastien Vidal, artistic director of the Nice Jazz festival for ten years who will say the opposite. This historic festival, in the heart of the city center, which can accommodate 12,000 people a day, has seen the biggest names in jazz and above all, artists who have “great acting on stage”. “Today, we welcome several complementary audiences, who are not necessarily fans but who are open to being, explains the artistic director. We then imagine groups that necessarily have related links with jazz. I know that anyone who goes to see Parcels, a very sophisticated group of contemporary music, may be interested in HER The goal is to have artists who will add up and who are compatible with jazz. Hence this generous program! »
The public is no longer what we imagine
For Sébastien Vidal, we must also “stop” thinking that “the jazz public is that of the 1970s”. “Currently, those who listen to this musical style are young, inclusive, open and diverse. But they don’t necessarily have the means to consume it. It is for this reason that we can boast of being one of the cheapest in France”, according to one of the programming managers.
He sums up: “The public at the Nice Jazz Festival is therefore a reflection of society and of how people consume music today: eclectic. We are then inserted into our time. So I want to offer entry points to completely different people”.
Alban Leloup, artistic director of Peillon Jazz, which begins its second edition this weekend and launches the festival season on the Côte d’Azur, analyzes this evolution of audiences through “access to this music”. “Before, it was more difficult to discover jazz if you couldn’t get a record. Now, we have musical platforms that allow us to suggest nuggets to listeners who were not necessarily jazz lovers. And many new artists also offer covers of classics that give this young audience a taste for jazz. »